About Steven de Waal

Dr. Steven P.M. de Waal is an opinion leader, keynote speaker, author and board chairman of the Public Space Foundation. With years of experience as chairman of multiple boards, he earned his PhD on the subject of civil leadership. For a detailed profile visit LinkedIn.

Steven enjoys observing and participating in social change and innovation, and takes pleasure in sharing his vision on strategy and the future:

as author and guest author of inspiring books and articles

as keynote speaker at national and international conferences

as boardroom advisor

as board chair and social entrepreneur

as social and strategic trend watcher and concept innovator

Aristoteles is a great source of inspiration for Steven de Waal. Through his think tank Public Space, Steven
supports disruptive citizenship, civil leadership and social entrepreneurship. He was a partner in Strategy and Management Group Boer & Croon for 19 years and served as board member and board chair for a number of these years. He served as member of the national party leadership of Holland’s PvdA (labor) party. Steven currently chairs various non-executive boards including at Theatre Utrecht. He is also a lecturer at reputable institutes focused on education, research, board management and leadership such as Blommestein, Avicenna and the National Register for Commissioners (an organization focused on all aspects of non-executive boards) and is a highly demanded speaker both in The Netherlands and abroad.

Steven de Waal coined several Dutch-language terms related to social entrepreneurship and civil leadership, including “de maatschappelijke onderneming” (2000) (“the societal enterprise”), “maatschappelijk leiderschap” (“civil leadership”) and “maatschappelijk ondernemerschap” (“the Dutch-language take on social entrepreneurship”). And, more recently, “polderpaternalisme” (a reference to the Dutch way of political consensus seeking) and “’disruptief burgerschap” (“disruptive citizenship”).

In 2014, Steven received his PhD from Utrecht University for this thesis on “The Value(s) of Civil Leaders”, about civil leaders: private individuals who contribute to the common good and public value in a remarkable manner.

Steven writes essays and blogs, has written five books (in Dutch) and contributes to several books, especially on (civil) leadership and (social) entrepreneurship.

Civic engagement

As active citizen, Steven de Waal is closely involved with a number of social organizations:

Involved as volunteer in the renewal of the Dutch labor party PvdA since 2000. Member of the PvdA’s national party leadership from 2001 – 2005. Also, chairman of the party commission that, in late 2005, advised the party congress on the party’s vision on the proposed new Dutch health care system. Chair of the party’s scouting commission nationally and in Utrecht, initiator of the national election of the party list leader of the Dutch senate in 2010 and, in 2016, celebrity candidate on the PvdA list for the national elections (In the Netherlands, a celebrity or civil leader is often put at the end of the party list, an unelectable position, in a bid to attract more votes for the party and as a sign of endorsement.)

Chairman, Stichting Continuïteit FC Utrecht (foundation with a golden share position for continuity of the professional soccer club FC Utrecht)